The Beauty and Simplicity of Training with Attraction

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So many methods to choose from to train your horse or dog, cat etc. Here’s a piece written by Tara Choules from Dog Star Daily that cuts to the chase. She provides a super clear, simple, compassionate guide of what truly works. And no doubt will make you and your beloved four legged feel great!

I was driving home yesterday when I spied a dog running loose along the busy road at the entrance of my neighborhood. Her black muzzle and smooth fawn colored coat created a perfect camouflage amongst the roadside autumn leaves. In my rear view mirror I saw a line of cars approaching. Continue reading →

You know when you visit a new website and click a link or placeholder and see “Under construction”? I feel like I need to slap a sticky tab with that message on my forehead for all to see.

My life is undergoing a major change that must be lumped into the category of ‘under construction.’ For the past decade I’ve been wrestling unsuccessfully with complications from celiac disease, which made me feel like my health was under destruction. Continue reading →

PaintingHorse.com, my website for horses that paint on canvas with brushes in their mouths, has expanded to include canines! Here is short video of my dog Trixie painting her very first painting on canvas board.

She has developed her own unique and dramatic stroke style perhaps endowed by her terrier genetics to grasp hold of small (usually fast moving critters) objects and shake them into submission.

I love this video by Emily Larlham showing the power of teaching a dog the touch cue. This is one of the very first behaviors I teach any horse I work with. It creates the ultimate environment of attraction where the animal moves towards something that feels good, rather than away from something that feels bad. It activates their SEEKING emotion. (Dr. Jaak Panksepp)

I first teach the touch cue using a target stick, then I teach them to target the back of my hand. Continue reading →

I was recently interviewed by Regis and Kelly. Just kidding. Even better! I was interviewed by the dynamic duo of Anna Twinney and Vincent Mancarella for a podcast on their fabulous website Reach Out to Horses. What a blast I had! Anna, with her hypnotic British accent, and Vin, his witty and warm sense of humor made me feel right at home. Continue reading →

Progressive Reinforcement, the term coined by Emily, means: Teaching animals by rewarding desired behaviors and excluding the intentional use of physical or psychological intimidation. A type of animal training exists that involves no forms of intimidation, confrontation, violence, reprimands, or domination. Continue reading →

The Fine Print

All of the material on the pages of this weblog, I Feel Good, My Horse Feels Good, is copyrighted. This protection includes but is not limited to the articles, photographs, video and Horse Pucky cartoons. All rights are reserved.

If you’d like to use some of my blog’s content for personal use, feel free. If it’s for reproduction, please ask first. If it’s for professional or commercial reproduction, definitely ask first, along with buying my horses some hay.

As with all things equine and their inherent risks of potential for injury to horse and human, the exercises and examples of the things I do with my horses fall into the category, Try at your own risk. I cannot assume responsibility, and neither can my horses.